Have you heard?
Director, actors define characters with perfection, humor in 'Rumors'
By SHAY DAVIS
With quick wit and chaos, we are pulled into the craziness of Charlie
and Myra’s 10th anniversary party in New York City. Chris paces
back and forth trying to sneak a cigarette while the cook has vanished,
the doorbell is ringing, and the vodka is already rolling. That’s
just the beginning of “Rumors,” which opens today at 8 p.m.
in the John Wright Theatre, located in the Speech Arts building.
Cookie, played by Vanessa Pereda, laughs at her bad back, even
though it is painful. Photo by Joseph Hollak |
With perfect casting, director Ed EmanuEl perfectly defines the characters.
We first meet Chris, a blonde in a pastel dress played by Karina Croskrey.
She fits well with her fellow actor Ken, played by Adam McGee. Their introduction
to the comedy gets the audience aroused in anticipation to see who’ll
come through the door next.
And the Ganz couple delivers it. They arrive in style in a wrecked BMW
with Claire telling her husband, Lenny, to stop complaining about the
whiplash.
Lenny, who is played by Brandon Petrie, and Claire, played Jacquelyn Babb,
are a one-of-a-kind duo. Their sarcasm goes far beyond a few laughs and
they steal the show with dry humor, wit and outrageous chemistry.
Soon after the Ganzes, enters Cookie, played Vanessa Pereda, and her husband,
Ernie. Cookie is kooky, a bit on the strange side, but pretty happy to
be alive — if you disregard her bad back, her friends insulting
her dress, and that she’s always in the kitchen at night. Throughout
the night, her sidekick husband, played by Rico Nan, examines everyone’s
feelings like that of his own psychological patients. Even by the end
of the night, he gets a little crazy.
Shortly after Cookie, comes Cassie with her hoping-to-win-State-Senate
husband. Glenn, played by James Hume, is somewhat scatterbrained in hopes
of covering up an affair with a “blonde bimbo.” His performance
is phenomenal and he perfectly portrays a man trying to appear above the
rest. The night moves, as Cassie, played b ony Moira Leslie, gets upset
and brings out her pet crystal, which later is accidentally flushed down
the toilet.
Ken, played by Adam McGee, and Lenny, played by Brandon Petrie,
fight to answer the phone. Photo by Joseph Hollak |
The night continues in a great pool of lies, then truth. Then more lies
to cover the truth. We see Claire befriend Chris, Lenny helping Ken to
find his hearing and Ernie and Cookie acquiring injuries from the kitchen.
Cassie is outside punching Glenn and the police arrives sending each character
into a flustered state.
The police officer, played by Harman Tiwana, is unexpected and original
in his acting style. Although a smaller role, his significance is defined
as the end of the play unfolds. The evening comes to a hilarious end with
an elaborate speech performed by Lenny that sends the audience into continuous
laughter.
“Rumors” portrays humor, sarcasm, and chaos — great
accomplishments for a comedy. It is clear that the characters, casting,
as well as costume design and background all play a key role in a portraying
a successful image of Charlie and Myra’s anniversary party, even
if all didn’t goes as planned — or so I heard.
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